I think a blade would jump around a bit after hitting a band of metal, yeah?

Seems like a good way to loose a finger.

Again, it requires skill and timing. It not a "I put on this magic claw and I win". Or is it "I put on this claw and sword will magically stick to it".

However, to answer your quesion. The fingers will be bent back and clear of the band. Second the sword will hit between 2 of the 4 claws. The claws keep the blade from bouncing around and off you hand. At least long enough to enter a clasp with your second shuko. Even if you lose a finger, its better your finger then your body.

As I said before, its a last resort. If a Shinobi was confronted, he would run rather then fight. This includes blinding powders and Shuriken/Shaken. This is more, Hey I climbed this wall and oh **** there is a guard with a sword. I can't run (minus jumping off the wall). Well you can die or use your shuko.

I only mentioned it before as a weapon that had techniques in it that give the illusion of catching a sword with your bare hand. Not that I advocate it as an preferred way of combat. I will say it beats dying.

I'm glad you have at least a semi-realistic attitude toward the use of shuko. You would probably lose a finger or two, would almost certainly break or sprain your wrist when hit with a full-force blow while holding the shuko at the angle needed to intercept, and the slightest miscalculation would get your arm or body cut wide open. Shuko are also basically worthless against other popular Sengoku-era weapons such as tanto, yari, naginata, etc. Not a high-percentage technique, to put it mildly.

Honestly, if you try to engage a swordsman at his preferred range of engagement, you'll probably lose. The sword is a powerful and versatile weapon that can end a confrontation in a single blow. Faced with a pissed-off bushi, I would focus my entire being on leaping in when he attacked in hopes of intercepting and jamming his blow. Still would probably get myself sliced to ribbons, but it would be better than trying to predict where the sword was going to end up and "catching" it.

'Course, I'm not a Sengoku-era espionage agent... who knows what really went down when it was samurai vs. shinobi? *grin*

This is more, Hey I climbed this wall and oh **** there is a guard with a sword. I can't run (minus jumping off the wall). Well you can die or use your shuko.

This would be just about the only situation in which I would use shuko against an armed opponent.

I'm glad you have at least a semi-realistic attitude toward the use of shuko. You would probably lose a finger or two, would almost certainly break or sprain your wrist when hit with a full-force blow while holding the shuko at the angle needed to intercept, and the slightest miscalculation would get your arm or body cut wide open. Shuko are also basically worthless against other popular Sengoku-era weapons such as tanto, yari, naginata, etc. Not a high-percentage technique, to put it mildly.

Honestly, if you try to engage a swordsman at his preferred range of engagement, you'll probably lose. The sword is a powerful and versatile weapon that can end a confrontation in a single blow. Faced with a pissed-off bushi, I would focus my entire being on leaping in when he attacked in hopes of intercepting and jamming his blow. Still would probably get myself sliced to ribbons, but it would be better than trying to predict where the sword was going to end up and "catching" it.

'Course, I'm not a Sengoku-era espionage agent... who knows what really went down when it was samurai vs. shinobi? *grin*

This would be just about the only situation in which I would use shuko against an armed opponent.

You just say it too. Don't think of catching the sword aka movie style at the pointy end. A shuko is used to stop a sword by leaping in a jamming the swordsman. The first 1/3 of the sword near the tsuba is what makes contact.

Actaully what is preferred is leaping in a digging the claws into the hands and controlling the sword that way. Personally I only know 2 out of all the shuko techniques that envolve catching the sword. I was only pointing out that they exist and are real.